Bzur - La prima cosa che mi viene in mente (Morning bells): Absolutely beautiful in all levels. Just imagine what kind of impact this song would have if performed live in front of a live audience... Virtual instruments tend to sound a bit off in this kind of compositions, you've done a good job eliminating that feeling. Only the strings sound a little unrealistic, but it doesn't really detract from the overall experience. However, the song sounds too clean. You could add some hall noise or something, and add some timing errors to the instruments: not that much that you can hear them, but enough so you can feel them. Top-notch production. This song is clearly my favorite submission in this contest, could listen to it for hours.

GMoneh - The Darkness Before Dawn: Beautiful piano in the beginning, I could put it on repeat and just listen over and over again. Great production, melodies and chord progression. Still, would have preferred an acoustic version for more emotion. Maybe acoustic drums, piano, violin and a guitar... This song had the opportunity to be the best in my books, but it focused too much on repeating the themes established in the beginning. And while reading this comment, keep in mind, that the better the song, the more critical I tend to be about it.

Evo2slo - Closer to the Sun Part II - The Mission of Today: I really like the sound of this song. Good live singing with meaningful lyrics is always a plus in my eyes. Still, I fealt like the singer could have done a better job and given a more emotional performance. Now he sounds a bit cold. Otherwise liked the sound of the song, the guitar riffs and pretty much everything.

Hellfog - Back And Forth: Nice latino-style guitar playing combined with an interesting if a bit cliche chord and melody progression. Simply beautiful. Could have been even better with developing the theme further, given that the song only lasts a bit over 2 minutes.

Shangsean - PAIN: There's some inexplainable beauty in dark, texture and sound design based music. Brooding atmosphere, a sense of progression, good sound design, what's not to like!

Irion Da Ronin - Back to Childhood: Pleasant soundscape. The melodies sound a bit like Asian/Chinese/Japanese traditional music. Great work!

Aziraphal - Triskaidekaphobia: Definitely something different and fresh! Brings images from Eastern Europe to my mind. From 0:45 to 1:18 onwards like 80's song from Estonia.

Slartibartfast - HNY: Pleasant sound and melodies. Very good production, could use some more variety.

VicDiesel - Third candle: Nice harmonies and there's just something awesome in live playing. Especially good considering the limitations the instrument choice brings into play. I spent some time deciding between this one and "The Sparkling Brook", in the end I chose "Third candle" as #10.

slartibartfast wrote:kryptonaut - Retrospective 2012Full of luscious bass playing and polyrhythms, this one is definitely on continuous repeat. I love the way this starts out simply and builds in complexity and interest as it goes on before relaxing into the end. The contrapuntal keyboard sounds interplay wonderfully with each other - and that bass playing.....yum! A crisp clear mix with everything beautifully distinct. Masterful stuff.

spirulence & folderol - The Glass MountainSimilar feel to spirulence's solo contribution. Calm and relaxing. Given the synthesised tones used for the rest of the track, the flute tone seems slightly out of place - the slightly distorted lead tone that replaces it is more in keeping with the feel of the rest of the track. Well produced and very pleasant listening.

Emerald Tablet - The PromiseSlightly retro and interesting sounds in this. Kind of like Jarre meets Kraftwerk. I particularly like the bass that comes in at about 0:33 - sounds like a cello through some sort of resonant filter - nice! Another chillax track - sounds as though most of us fell asleep on the couch after too much Christmas pudding....

Norf n Souf - The Sparkling BrookAnother pleasant easy-listening track. Not sure that all of the guitar/mandolin(?) playing is quite in time, and all of the instruments don't quite sit comfortably in the mix. This has a nice folk-y feel to it though. Good without having anything outstanding that grabs my attention.

VicDiesel - Third CandleCertainly an interesting choice of instruments to write for. The timings and harmonies all work well. This has a slightly medieval religious feel, and I could imagine this being used as background music for a suitable documentary. Very different to other entries this month - which is always a good thing. Thanks for sharing this.

Aziraphal - TriskaidekaphobiaWhat an epic track - hard to believe that this is all put together by one person in less than a month - you not only have a lot of talent, but must have a lot of time on your hands. Those vocal tracks and harmonies on their own must have taken ages to record and mix. This is an awesome track on so many levels. The mix is superb, the orchestration perfect, the detailed fills in the drumming, the epic vocals, the lyrics. An outstanding concept brilliantly executed.

Mr Natural - Your Moon is but a SliverAn unusual structure to this track, and you are never quite sure where this one is going. A pleasant guitar riff gets this going. Some great synth sounds and intricate drum patterns. The synth stabs are perhaps a little intrusive. Definitely alternative and original.

Laguna Rising - SteamWhat?!Jazz Prog Rock? Nice guitar jamming over some very alternative jazz chord progressions. I am not sure that the lead guitar sits quite right in the mix in the first section, but feels more comfortable in the later sections when you bring in the double tracking with the synth. An enjoyable listen.

Zabrilla - 1000 VoicesWhen I read your intro to this track, my first thought was "Oh no, not another boring trance track". But this is far from being boring. I am not quite sure how you came to gave this track its title, but when I listen to this track the sounds evoke feelings of the loneliness of modern high-rise cities, their spiritual emptiness, even though everyone is rushing in fast motion, dashing to wherever knows, and for reasons that nobody really understands or cares about. A modern version of Philip Glass's sound track to Koyaanisqatsi perhaps? Thought provoking, emotionally engaging. Excellent.

Soughtaftersounds - Mystic ChaosA wonderful piece of orchestral soundtrackery. A well composed and constructed piece, with excellent orchestration. Both halves of the piece are very good indeed. The piano flourishes in the second half are particularly notable. Some elements of the second half are reminiscent of Harry Potter - which can only be a good thing. This track left me begging for more.

klawire wrote:Aziraphal - Triskaidekaphobia: Definitely something different and fresh! Brings images from Eastern Europe to my mind. From 0:45 to 1:18 onwards like 80's song from Estonia

Many thanks for the listen Dunno much about Estonia in 80's but they had some cool Eurovision song entries the last few years

slartibartfast wrote:Aziraphal - TriskaidekaphobiaWhat an epic track - hard to believe that this is all put together by one person in less than a month - you not only have a lot of talent, but must have a lot of time on your hands. Those vocal tracks and harmonies on their own must have taken ages to record and mix. This is an awesome track on so many levels. The mix is superb, the orchestration perfect, the detailed fills in the drumming, the epic vocals, the lyrics. An outstanding concept brilliantly executed.

Scuse me while I blush .. very nice review It was mostly early morning sessions while the kids are blissfully asleep. A good thing about solo choir recording is not that many takes are needed since you can get away with more off-key singing

Cheers Matt

Every time you use autotune, God kills a kitten. Please, think of the kittens.

klawire wrote:Bzur - La prima cosa che mi viene in mente (Morning bells): Absolutely beautiful in all levels. Just imagine what kind of impact this song would have if performed live in front of a live audience... Virtual instruments tend to sound a bit off in this kind of compositions, you've done a good job eliminating that feeling. Only the strings sound a little unrealistic, but it doesn't really detract from the overall experience. However, the song sounds too clean. You could add some hall noise or something, and add some timing errors to the instruments: not that much that you can hear them, but enough so you can feel them. Top-notch production. This song is clearly my favorite submission in this contest, could listen to it for hours.

Thanks for your vote and for your nice review: you pointed out some interesting ideas to improve the track. I really appreciate your suggestions

klawire wrote:Ok, here's my review for my top ten submissions of this contest.

Hellfog - Back And Forth: Nice latino-style guitar playing combined with an interesting if a bit cliche chord and melody progression. Simply beautiful. Could have been even better with developing the theme further, given that the song only lasts a bit over 2 minutes.

Zabrilla - 1000 VoicesWhen I read your intro to this track, my first thought was "Oh no, not another boring trance track". But this is far from being boring. I am not quite sure how you came to gave this track its title, but when I listen to this track the sounds evoke feelings of the loneliness of modern high-rise cities, their spiritual emptiness, even though everyone is rushing in fast motion, dashing to wherever knows, and for reasons that nobody really understands or cares about. A modern version of Philip Glass's sound track to Koyaanisqatsi perhaps? Thought provoking, emotionally engaging. Excellent.

Amazing review, thanks Its funny the feelings that you talk about, were some of what I was feeling about when I was composing the track. I was using my feelings about how I was trapped inside the daily working commuter 9-5 mundane job, spending hours in my car each day, spending all my money on petrol and screaming out in anger but no one listening or prepared to help. A situation that ultimately lead to me being on medication for Depression. I named the track 1000 voices based on the multitude of shouts and screams I used to do in my car, on my own, on my way to work. But also I had feelings of happiness as I am now feeling a lot better (medication and counselling) so I wanted to give the track an upbeat feel but tried not to take away my "voices".

Aziraphal - Triskaidekaphobia:
Man, what an amount of work you put into this: there's not a dull moment in this arrangement. I'm very impressed with the big choruses. Am I allowed to be reminded of the Transiberian Orchestra? It has that "happy synths over a rock band" feel.

Beanpole - Bedroom Angst:
I like this song; it has a cool melody and general feel, but I'm finding it a tad repetitive: you have a verse of four identical (melody, accompaniment, all) lines and you have quite a few verses. I would have mixed the guitar down a bit, and the bass part could use more excitement.

Gmoneh - The Darkness before Dawn:
Man, what a contrast between intro and the big piano part. I like the piano melody, but am kind of failing to discern the structure in what happens the two minutes its' playing.

Klawie - One way out:
Epic!

Kryptonaut - Retrospective 2012:
The title suggests I need to find references in this? Eh, to what? I think I'll just enjoy the skillfully wielded sounds.

Mutt Davvg - J Creammy Douggie:
I got the one-ping-only blues....

nikp2000 - stella road:
Hm. A bit much of that halting drum loop, but the moog solo is cool.

Norf_n_Souf - The sparkling brook:
Lovely tune. Would be even lovelier with a more realistic lead sound.

klawire wrote:GMoneh - The Darkness Before Dawn: Beautiful piano in the beginning, I could put it on repeat and just listen over and over again. Great production, melodies and chord progression. Still, would have preferred an acoustic version for more emotion. Maybe acoustic drums, piano, violin and a guitar... This song had the opportunity to be the best in my books, but it focused too much on repeating the themes established in the beginning. And while reading this comment, keep in mind, that the better the song, the more critical I tend to be about it.

VicDiesel wrote:Gmoneh - The Darkness before Dawn:Man, what a contrast between intro and the big piano part. I like the piano melody, but am kind of failing to discern the structure in what happens the two minutes its' playing.

Thanks so much for your review, Vic, very much appreciated.
I guess you could say the piece is a study of contrasts (therefore the title)...
When I saw the announcement for next months theme, I thought "darn, my entry this month would have been perfect for that theme"... oh well, I'll have to come up with something else.